Royals' Michael Massey out with calf strain

Infielder expected to miss about a week of spring training action

Mar. 10, 2026 at 4:53pm

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The Kansas City Royals announced that second baseman Michael Massey has suffered a 'low-grade' calf strain and will be out of game action for about a week. Massey, who is looking to build on a solid 2025 season, tweaked his calf in a game against the Dodgers on Friday and the injury did not improve, prompting the team to get it checked out.

Why it matters

Massey is an important part of the Royals' lineup and the team is hoping for a big 2026 season after narrowly missing the playoffs in 2025. Any injury, even a minor one, during spring training can be concerning as it could impact a player's readiness for the regular season.

The details

Massey has collected 22 at-bats in spring training so far, hitting one home run and driving in three runs. During the 2025 regular season, the 24-year-old infielder posted a .244 batting average for Kansas City. This offseason, Massey did extensive work on his hitting mechanics, even studying physics, in an effort to improve his swing and production at the plate.

  • Massey tweaked his calf in a game against the Dodgers on Friday, March 8.
  • The Royals announced Massey's injury and expected recovery timeline on March 10.

The players

Michael Massey

A 24-year-old second baseman for the Kansas City Royals who is looking to build on a solid 2025 season and make a bigger impact in 2026.

Matt Quatraro

The manager of the Kansas City Royals.

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What they’re saying

“Royals second baseman Michael Massey has a 'low-grade' calf strain, manager Matt Quatraro said this morning. Tweaked it on a play vs. the Dodgers on Friday and didn't get better, so they got it checked out. He'll be out of game action for 'hopefully just about a week,'”

— Anne Rogers, MLB.com reporter

What’s next

The Royals play a spring training game on Tuesday, March 12 against the Seattle Mariners, but Massey is expected to miss that game and a few others as he recovers from the calf strain.

The takeaway

Massey's injury, while minor, is still a concern for the Royals as they look to build on their 2025 season and make a playoff push in 2026. The team will need Massey healthy and productive if they hope to return to the postseason, so his recovery process will be closely monitored in the coming weeks.